Building-block



Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTINE CAMPBELL, OF METUOEIEN, NEW JERSEY.

BUILDING-BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,289, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed March 16,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may) concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTINE CAMPBELL, a citizen ofthe United States, residingat Metuchen, Middlesex county, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Building-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention applies to all that class of building-blocks in which a body and back of burnt clayis joined to a face of different material fusible at the temperature attained in a kiln. I will describe the invention as having the face of vitreous material; but it may be metal or any material which will adhere to the body and willmelt at a high temperature. The body is previously formed of fire-clay or other clay. I propose in some instances to employ a clay or a mixture for this purpose which on account of discolorations or blistering is not esteemed valuable for other purposes but it must be capable of standing a high temperature without fusing. The face or front is melted by the heat of the kiln and assumes the proper form for adhering and locking firmly to the front of the body, care being taken to place the body in the proper level position and to provide a proper rim of clay to retain the melt ed material. The coolingoff ofthe kiln and its contents leaves the ware in a perfectly-joined condition. When glass is employed as the facing material the cooling of the kiln must be so conducted as to afford the necessary annealing.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification, and represents a vertical section through one of the blocks and the adjacent parts in the kiln. The blocks lie face upward in being burned.

Referring to the figure, M is a seggar of coarse material of suitable size to contain a block and to support a tier of such blocks one above another, so as to economize space in the ordinary manner.

A is the body of my block, made of refrac: tory clay by forcing through a die of the proper form, or otherwise. I have shown it with liberal openings through its interior, which may be filled up with concrete or other material at or before the time of using or the whole or a portion of these cavities may be left empty, as preferred in any case. On the Into each recess I put a quantity of melted iron or other material in a melted state, according to the use for which the block is to be applied. If on the fronts of buildings, it should be glass or a material attractive to the eye, and which by its character and color shall produce the proper aesthetic effect in the architecture. If for burglar-proof rooms or for an entire burglar-proof building or part of a building, the material may be chilled iron, franklinite iron, or other fusible material having the proper burglar-proof qualities, with or without regard to appearance. This material is introduced in proper quantity to just fill the front cavity, a. I prefer to apply it in a melted condition, having previously raised the temperature of theearthern block to a reasonable extent. This mode of applying gages the quantity very accurately. Enough should be applied to fill the cavity level full.

I believe that the glass or other material will adhere forcibly to strong burnt clay, whether known as brick, earthenware, stoneware, terracotta, majolica, or other strong material, without any special flux; but I prefer to provide a stratum of clay immediately adjacent to the melted material which is of a character to assimilate with the latter, and thus to serve as a flux to aid in strongly uniting the two materials.

When franklinite iron or other iron constitutes the fusible material I apply the c0mpound of clay with iron oxide, and apply this as a thin stratum on the interior of the cav ity a. I use, by preference, for this purpose a clay which is already filled with iron to such extent as to make it of little or no value for or- 5 dinary uses. Practice will determine the proportions of a given clay and. other matter to make the flux lining and obtain a semi-fluid or pasty condition in the kiln which is exactly right to efl'ect a firm union between the fluid.

IOO

and the solid. When glass or other material is the facing the flux should be correspondingly modified.

In the drawing, 0 represents the thin layer of flux.

It may be practicable to work on a large scale, applying the flux G and the facing in aterial B at the same time that the body Ais originally burned, and thus to effect the entire operation at one burning; but I propose, for greater certainty, to first burn the body A with the layer 0 in place, and thus to make a strong form with a rough and easily-fusible lining, O, and then, after applying the material B either in a melted condition or in the form of powder or lumps, which form may be adopted,if preferred in any case, to subject the body to a reburning, and thus to fix the face 13 reliably in place.

The outer surface of the faceB may be treated with a sand-blast or otherwise, to induce an opal effect. The rim A may be reduced by grinding or otherwise treating when it is too prominent in any case.

If the melted material B or the flu-x G is applied in excess, so as to flow over, the mischief thereby induced may be removed by grinding or other obvious treatment.

In applyingthe thin layer 0 care should be taken to scratch or otherwise disturb the surfaces, so as to unite the layer 0 very thoroughly with the body A.

I claim as my invention- 1. The method of ornamenting and otherwise improving articles manufactured from clays and earths by making those articles in the usual way, and then fusing into recesses provided in their surfaces for such purpose any metal or fusible material suitable for ornament or strength.

2. In the manufactureof building-blocks, the employment of a semi-fusible layer, G, between the infusible body A and the fusible front B, applied in the mannerso as to servethepurposes herein set forth.

3. The building-block described, having an infusible body and a fusible face, combined in the manner and so as to serve as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, atNew York city, this 12th day of March, 1881, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUSTINE CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

W. OoLBoRN BROOKES, Canvas 0. STETSON. 

